April 22 morning skate quotes: Kings

Drew Doughty, on whether there’s a way to explain the defensive lapses:
There is a way to explain it. The bottom line is we weren’t playing the way the LA Kings play normally. We completely got off our game, not for the full 60 minutes. There were flashes of where we showed how the LA Kings should be playing and we dominated at those points. We need our leaders to step up, lead the way and then we need everyone else to follow and we need to come together as a group. Be the team we know we can be.

Doughty, on slowing down San Jose’s transition game:
We obviously put a little emphasis on it. But for the most part, the reason why they’re getting speed is due to turnovers and due to lack of possession with the puck. So it’s not our forecheck I don’t think as much, our D are in good position. It’s we’re turning pucks over and when you turn a puck over guys are changing and guys don’t have good gaps and so many different things go wrong. We definitely have to slow them down. We have to start with just having possession of the puck rather than giving it to them.

Doughty, on anticipating a higher level of intensity for Game 3:
Oh yeah, for sure. We’re at home, first off. The crowd is going to be going crazy. We’ll be ready to go. We know we need this win. We win this game, we’re right back in this series and that’s all we’re looking to do. We’re not focused on winning two out at home right now. We’re just focused on this first one and we want nothing more than to win it.

Alec Martinez, on the mood of the team ahead of Game 3:
I mean obviously we’re not happy with how the last two games went, but there is a reason why you play seven. I think that our attitude has been good. We’ve been in this situation before, obviously last year. We got in, we watched some video, we’re learning from our mistakes and we know what we have to do and what we have to correct going forward. I’d say that this morning, the mood is pretty good.

Martinez, on how and when Darryl Sutter announces his starting lineup to the team:
It’s different game-to-game. Sometimes you have a good idea the day before, or maybe it’s at pre-game skate in the morning, or you know there are a couple of guys who might be in, might be out and maybe you find out when you get to the rink for game time. It’s all different. It depends on the situation. It depends on, in terms of the regular season, the scheduling and stuff like that. When you get in to certain places and when they make the decisions on that. It varies.

Martinez, on the intensity he anticipates for Game 3:
Tonight is going to be a real intense game. It’s a big game, every game is in the playoffs. But there is a big difference between being down 2-1 and being down 3-0. We obviously want to come back home here and feed off the crowd and feed off the energy and have a good couple games at home, but obviously focus on just tonight. It’ll be intense, it always is between San Jose and us and it’s playoff hockey so you have to bring it.

Jarret Stoll, on what a change in scenery does for the team:
A lot, different building, different ice, it’s our home fans. It’s the support that we get game in and game out. It’s great, we really appreciate it and it’s going to be no different tonight. We’re going to need our fans and we want to play very well in front of them as well. Yeah, it’s a change of scenery.

Colin Fraser, on his reaction to being recalled:
There is always the hope that you get called up. It kind of reminded me of when I was 20 years old waiting for call to get back and your career goes full circle. I’m 29 and I’m down there waiting for the call again and you never know when it’s going to happen. There is nothing you can do, you just have to play your game. Play the best you can and I wasn’t going to whine or complain, that’s just part of what happened and I was able to come back today.

Fraser, on breaking his hand in Manchester:
I blocked a shot and it just broke my hand. I was out five weeks now. [Reporter: How many games have you played since then?] I’ve played one. The season finale at Providence, that was on Friday. I was rehabbing here. So the family, we were all together here and when I was healthy I went back there. Practiced last week and played Friday and practiced yesterday.

Fraser, on breaking his hand in a 7-0 game in Manchester:
Yeah a 7-0 game, three minutes to go. It wasn’t even like a point shot. The guy just kind of spun and fired it from the corner and I didn’t even see it. I was just standing in front like the low forward just playing defense almost and it just hit me right in the hand. I kind of knew right away. I had broken it like six year previous, the exact same break and so I just knew. I knew right away.

Fraser, on whether he feels ready to step in, given his role:
Yeah, I do. I feel great and I skated. I obviously didn’t play games, but even with a broken hand I was skating. No pucks obviously, but I was bag skating to stay in shape and obviously hoping for this day to come so I would be ready. And then I did play last weekend and I played a lot down there.

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#27 | 6′ 1″ | 210 lb | Age: 29

Bio

Bio: Martinez was drafted by the LA Kings in the 2007 Draft, while playing for Miami University. He has since become a two-time Stanley Cup champion and the 17th man in Stanley Cup playoff history to score the Cup-winning goal in overtime.

#11 | 6′ 3″ | 224 lb | Age: 29

Bio

As the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL. Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, and following the 2015–16 season, was named the Kings’ captain. Noted for both his offensive and defensive play, Kopitar was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2016.

#8 | 6′ 1″ | 195 lb | Age: 26

Bio

Bio: Doughty is a Canadian defenceman who was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2008 Draft. Doughty made his NHL debut in 2008 as an 18-year-old and was named to the All-Rookie Team. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings, a two-time Olympic gold medallist with the Canadian national team, and a Norris Trophy finalist.

#73 | 6′ 1″ | 200 lb | Age: 24

Bio

Toffoli is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, drafted by the Kings in the second round of the 2010 Draft. Toffoli scored his first career NHL goal in his second game in a 4–0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013. He was also named the 2012–13 AHL All-Rookie Team.VIEW TYLER TOFFOLI POSTS

Jeff Carter

#77 | 6′ 4″ | 215 lb | Age: 31

Bio

Carter began his hockey career playing in the Ontario Hockey League in Canada before joining the AHL and playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was then traded to the Colombus Blue jackets before joining the LA Kings in 2012, where he has since won two Stanley Cups with the Kings.

#32 | 6′ 1″ | 218 lb | Age: 30

Bio

Bio: Quick is the current goaltender for the LA Kings and was selected by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Previously, Quick was a silver medalist with USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He’s won two Stanley Cup championships with the Kings, along with being the most recent goaltender to be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.